News
Winter Liveaboard Offers from Scuba Travel
Get a warm water diving fix this Winter with these outstanding liveaboard special offers from our friends at UK-based Tour Operator Scuba Travel.
Philippines I 23 November I Atlantis Azores I 10 night trip I Save £1000, only £3375
The Azores liveaboard has been lovingly crafted by the one of the Philippines’ most successful dive operations, Atlantis. Built in the USA to the highest international standard, Azores feels like your home away from home in the Philippines, making it THE liveaboard to be on. Pouring their unparalleled experience and diving passion into every detail of your liveaboard holiday, Azores has come to define luxury liveaboard diving in the Philippines so sit back and let the sublime diving and superior service unfold before your eyes on a holiday with distinction.
The Southern Visayas tour is the best introduction to diving in the Philippines and includes some of its most famous reefs. Pristine corals and varied marine life, big and small, make this a must do Far Eastern itinerary. Follow your liveaboard with two extra nights at Atlantis Dumaguete.
Package includes: return flights to Manila, 1 night in Manila, 7 nights full board and 2 further nights in exotic Atlantis Dumagete Resort with up to 5 dives per day both on the liveaboard and at Dumagete.
Click here to find out more about this trip…
Maldives I 3 December I Virgo I 7 nights I Only £1245 (excluding flights)
Virgo sleeps only 18 divers over 30m, which has made her popular with those that prefer smaller groups on board. All diving is from the support dhoni. The light wood decor continues throughout the vessel. On the main deck there is a large air conditioned saloon with welcoming sofas. Meals are served buffet style and seated at a large table. This is a fun, social boat to be on! The bar on board is fully licensed so you can enjoy your favourite tipple as the sun sinks over the horizon. The upper deck is a hub for most people in between dives, with loungers to relax on and enjoy the Maldives drifting by.
This popular itinerary with year round departures that delivers what it says on the tin – the Best of the Maldives! Dive the classic sites that made the Maldives so famous. Focusing on the hottest sites around Male & Ari atolls, there are pelagics a plenty, with manta, sharks and even whalesharks.
Package Includes: 7 nights on a full board basis (twin/double share cabin), enjoy a complimentary glass of wine with dinner, average of 17 fully guided dives (including 1 night dive, all marine park fees, 12lt tank and weights and FOC nitrox.
Click here to find out more about this trip…
Cocos Island I 8 December I Sea Hunter I 12 night trip I Save £1000, only £4595
The luxurious Sea Hunter is part of the outstanding Undersea Hunter fleet and the sturdy steel hulled vessel makes light work of the long sail out to Cocos. The diving is well worth the journey when you get there, nothing quite compares to Cocos or the attentive and welcoming service you will receive on board Sea Hunter.
Dive the remote pelagic playground Cocos with the super experienced Sea Hunter crew! This is perhaps the ultimate hammerhead shark destination but there are more pelagics than just this to discover. Silkies, Galapagos sharks, silver tips and even tiger sharks….! Visit Cocos for serious shark encounters.
Package includes: return Flights to San Jose, 2 nights in San Jose (one each end of the trip) on a B&B basis, 10 nights on board Sea Hunter with up to 3 dives per day including 3 night dives over the trip and FOC nitrox.
Click here to find out more about this trip…
Red Sea I 7 January I Whirlwind I Wrecks and Reefs itinerary I 7 nights I Save £155, only £955
Leave the Winter behind and climb aboard the well reputed liveaboard Whirlwind for an affordable 5 star Red Sea experience. Whirlwind has everything the modern diver could want on board. The spacious dive deck is one of the most impressive aspects. And for your relaxation between dives, there are two sundecks and the jacuzzi. Catch some rays, relax with a book or enjoy the hot tub.
Wrecks and Reefs is the ideal itinerary whatever your experience level, diving some of the most iconic dive sites Egypt has to offer, as well a few lesser known beauties. A popular route for those new to the Red Sea, the varied depths across dive sites suit all abilities – from novice to tekkie. Visibility is crystal clear and the warm blue waters are perfect for even the longest dive times. Water temperatures typically range between 20 and 28 degrees throughout the year. Diving can be accessed whatever the season, either by boat or RIB. Travel times between dive sites are short, leaving more time for relaxing.
Package includes: return flights from Gatwick to Hurghada, 7 nights full board and up to 22 dives over the week.
Click here to find out more about this trip…
Red Sea I 21 January I Cyclone I Winter Warmer itinerary I 7 nights I Only £995
Cyclone has long been a favourite with UK divers for exploring the magnificent wrecks and lavish reefs of the Egyptian Red Sea. She features an extensive sun deck complete with sun beds, jacuzzi and a spacious dive deck.
Beat the winter blues with this relaxing photo itinerary escorted by Mario. This is a great trip to pin down those skills necessary to allow your underwater photography to progress. A trip like this gives enormous freedom to try out things repeatedly and this is the best way to ensure that the learning sticks. With every little milestone your confidence will grow exponentially. We have handpicked a select number of key sites for this dedicated photo itinerary to enable you to gain maximum time at locations that are the most photo friendly.
Package includes: return flights from Gatwick, 7 days full board and up to 22 fully guided dives.
Click here to find out more about this trip…
To find out more about Scuba Travel and the dive holidays they offer, call 0800 0728221, email dive@scubatravel.com or visit www.scubatravel.com.
Marine Life & Conservation Blogs
Creature Feature: Dusky Shark
In this series, the Shark Trust will be sharing amazing facts about different species of sharks and what you can do to help protect them.
This month we’re taking a look at the Dusky Shark, a highly migratory species with a particularly slow growth rate and late age at maturity.
Dusky sharks are one of the largest species within the Carcharhinus genus, generally measuring 3 metres total length but able to reach up to 4.2 metres. They are grey to grey-brown on their dorsal side and their fins usually have dusky margins, with the darkest tips on the caudal fin.
Dusky Sharks can often be confused with other species of the Carcharhinus genus, particularly the Galapagos Shark (Carcharhinus galapagensis). They have very similar external morphology, so it can be easier to ID to species level by taking location into account as the two species occupy very different ecological niches – Galapagos Sharks prefer offshore seamounts and islets, whilst duskies prefer continental margins.
Hybridisation:
A 2019 study found that Dusky Sharks are hybridising with Galapagos Sharks on the Eastern Tropical Pacific (Pazmiño et al., 2019). Hybridisation is when an animal breeds with an individual of another species to produce offspring (a hybrid). Hybrids are often infertile, but this study found that the hybrids were able to produce second generation hybrids!
Long distance swimmers:
Dusky sharks are highly mobile species, undertaking long migrations to stay in warm waters throughout the winter. In the Northern Hemisphere, they head towards the poles in the summer and return southwards towards the equator in winter. The longest distance recorded was 2000 nautical miles!
Very slow to mature and reproduce:
The Dusky Shark are both targeted and caught as bycatch globally. We already know that elasmobranchs are inherently slow reproducers which means that they are heavily impacted by overfishing; it takes them so long to recover that they cannot keep up with the rate at which they are being fished. Dusky Sharks are particularly slow to reproduce – females are only ready to start breeding at roughly 20 years old, their gestation periods can last up to 22 months, and they only give birth every two to three years. This makes duskies one of the most vulnerable of all shark species.
The Dusky Shark is now listed on Appendix II of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species (CMS), but further action is required to protect this important species.
Scientific Name: Carcharhinus obscurus
Family: Carcharhinidae
Maximum Size: 420cm (Total Length)
Diet: Bony fishes, cephalopods, can also eat crustaceans, and small sharks, skates and rays
Distribution: Patchy distribution in tropical and warm temperate seas; Atlantic, Indo-Pacific and Mediterranean.
Habitat: Ranges from inshore waters out to the edge of the continental shelf.
Conservation status: Endangered.
For more great shark information and conservation visit the Shark Trust Website
Images: Andy Murch
Diana A. Pazmiño, Lynne van Herderden, Colin A. Simpfendorfer, Claudia Junge, Stephen C. Donnellan, E. Mauricio Hoyos-Padilla, Clinton A.J. Duffy, Charlie Huveneers, Bronwyn M. Gillanders, Paul A. Butcher, Gregory E. Maes. (2019). Introgressive hybridisation between two widespread sharks in the east Pacific region, Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 136(119-127), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2019.04.013.
Blogs
Join Pharaoh Dive Club for Red Sea Splash Family Summer Camp in August 2024
3rd AUGUST 2024 – 1 or 2 WEEK PROGRAMMES
Daily water programme with Snorkelling & Scuba Diving.
Beginners or qualified, something for all.
Leave the kids with the Splash Team for days of Excitement, Fun & Adventure!
BOOK NOW: INFO@PHARAOHDIVECLUB.COM / TEL: +44 7598 329059 or +20 100 6822000
There are various options for accommodation with options for 2, 3, 4 or 5 guests.
Eco Huts provide accommodation for families of up to 4. The best option to enhance the adventure and closest to camping with basic facilities. For August we will provide central air cooling for all the Eco Huts.
Deluxe Chalets are only suitable for 2 guests. Fully air conditioned rooms with private bathroom and other facilities.
Boutique Rooms are available for families of up to 5.
Individual bespoke rooms fully air conditioned with private bathroom and other facilities.
Eco Huts: £675 per adult / £425 per child / Under 8 FREE of charge
Deluxe Chalet: £830 per adult / £505 per child / Under 8 FREE of charge
Boutique Room: £925 per adult / £550 per child / Under 8 FREE of charge
BOOK NOW: INFO@PHARAOHDIVECLUB.COM / TEL: +44 7598 329059 or +20 100 6822000
This is a truly unique opportunity to have a Family Desert Adventure totally away from it all! You will be based at the remote Roots Red Sea on the coast of the Egyptian Eastern Desert, 140km south of Hurghada city.
Red Sea Splash main focus is Snorkelling & Scuba Diving but that’s not all, we provide a rounded week of activities in support.
Pool& Field Games – Arts & Crafts
Marine Biology Workshops
Cultural Activities – Orienteering Adventures
Roots Red Sea have established strong links with the local communities of Hamerwain & El Quseir affording our guests to have a true taste of the local culture, SPLASH CAMP embraces this opportunity and bring in the local children to join in the fun with our adventure seekers.
During the day, families are welcome to take part in all activities together or the kids can be left with the SPLASH CAMP team while the parents enjoy the facilities or go diving themselves!
At the end of the day, its family time while the SPLASH CAMP team take a break. For those with the energy, there are family evening activities planned a few evenings.
Open Air Movie Night – Desert Star Gazing Walk & Talk
El Quseir Evening City Tour
The second week is very special, we head off on the Big Blue for a liveaboard safari around Fury Shoals.
BOOK NOW: INFO@PHARAOHDIVECLUB.COM / TEL: +44 7598 329059 or +20 100 6822000
U-8 Splash Club
Sadly we can’t offer Scuba Diving to the Splash Club but we can have lots of fun Snorkelling & Free Diving!
Splash Club includes:
Certified Snorkel Course – Marine ID Games – Intro to Free Diving
Arts & Craft Sessions – Adventure trails – Cultural Playtime – Pool Games
U-12 Explorer Club
In addition to an exciting snorkelling and Free Diving Programme in the Splash Club we can take you under the water on SCUBA to a whole new world of fun and wonder. If you are under 10 your first breath under water will be as a Bubblemaker and continue with daily Seal Team Missions. From 10 we will complete a Discover Scuba Diving experience in the amazing Red Sea. Alternatively we offer a full junior certification programme to become an international qualified Scuba Diver.
U-16 Adventurer Club
For qualified Scuba Divers regardless of age it’s the Adventurer Club and exploration of the local reefs and marine life. There will be 2 dives every day with the Open Ocean marine field station team who will introduce you to Red Sea marine life and workshops on marine research. Alternatively there are opportunities to continue your scuba diving certifications with our instructional team.
Parents are welcome to join the club activities and join the courses.
BOOK NOW: INFO@PHARAOHDIVECLUB.COM / TEL: +44 7598 329059 or +20 100 6822000
Big Blue might seem like the new kid on the block, but the team behind the highly acclaimed liveaboard is far from that. They have been running Red Sea safaris since the late 1980’s and were in fact part of the early pioneers who ventured out to the unknown on vessels that in today’s world, really shouldn’t have left the harbour! It’s that experience and the years of operating the award-winning Roots Red Sea resort which truly set Big Blue apart from the crowd!
Large lounge area, spacious sun deck and terrace deck.
Airy restaurant with five tables with up to six chairs per table, serving a varied and delicious menu with special dietary requirements catered for.
The spacious cabins have side by side beds and a large walk in wet bathroom.
Ample dive deck for divers & snorkelers.
Safety is everyone’s priority, whether you are relaxing on board, swimming, snorkelling or diving.
On board Big Blue is fitted with smoke alarms, emergency lighting and a fire alarm system. The lower corridor has a full-size door fire exit at the bow and open stairs to the stern. There are evacuation plans in each room along with life jackets, glass breaker tool and a fire extinguisher.
BOOK NOW: INFO@PHARAOHDIVECLUB.COM / TEL: +44 7598 329059 or +20 100 6822000
Red Sea Splash at Fury Shoals is a very rare opportunity to get involved with marine biology expedition for children and adults. Open Ocean biologists are on board to provide fascinating and entertaining facts about the marine life you will see. The team will provide workshops on marine life identification and survey methods both of which, should you wish, you will have the chance to put into practice during your safari.
The week is open to snorkelers, scuba divers and non divers too!
Fury shoals is perfect for first time mariners as it offers plenty of protection from the weather.
We board at Port Ghaleb on Saturday evening and prepare to set sail early on Sunday morning.
Heading south, our first day will be diving the reefs of Abu Dabbab before sailing overnight to reach our ultimate destination the Fury Shoals.
Here we will spend four days swimming, snorkelling and scuba diving amazing reefs. This includes guaranteed DOLPHIN encounters at Sataya Reef! After the last dive we haul anchor and head back to Abu Dabbab for our final two dives before disembarking our boat BIG BLUE.
Camp Extension Cost*
Adult £650 per adult
Under 16 £350 per child
BOOK NOW: INFO@PHARAOHDIVECLUB.COM / TEL: +44 7598 329059 or +20 100 6822000
FURTHER INFORMATION – INFO@PHARAOHDIVECLUB.COM
TEL: +44 7598 329059 or +20 100 6822000
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